They talked while the gate agents prepared for boarding. Small talk at first—where they were headed, how full the flight looked. The mother mentioned a delay earlier in the day. “Everything’s been strange today,” she said, not really worried, just tired.
When boarding began, Alyssa fell into step behind them. It felt natural to continue the conversation, even as the line moved. The child kept turning around to check that Alyssa was still there, reassured every time she was. The girl kept giggling as if pleased that her new friend was there.